Sons of the Lord of Fire, the Kind Salamanders

The research vessel carried a large number of scientists and engineers.

They were currently en route to Tangle Planet.

As the fortress world designated by Cisrain, it was only seven days away.

Within these seven days, they needed to familiarize themselves with and adapt to their new equipment as quickly as possible.

Cyrus signed the agreement and felt a sense of relief.

Although, according to Brown, he might be saddled with debt for as long as ten thousand years.

However, he would rather carry a ten-thousand-year debt than become a pawn of Chaos.

Not to mention, it was just a written agreement, not a law of the physical world; surely they couldn't actually rewrite the laws of physics, could they?

"The captain seems a bit more relaxed."

"The captain has been too tense lately; it must be menopause."

"Is the captain's blooming period that short?" Blue, a recruit who had joined five years ago, asked with curiosity.

"You can go ask him."

"Don't go. They're pulling your leg. If you want to taste the captain's iron fist, feel free to try."

The five of them now performed their respective duties, having transitioned from a reconnaissance squad to a tactical squad.

Captain Cyrus, also the commander, had served for over two hundred years.

Yalta, the deputy captain and shield-bearer, had served for over forty years.

Talon, the mechanic and sniper, had served for over thirty years.

Maglin, the assault warrior and psyker, had served for over thirty years.

Blue, the medic, resource recovery specialist, and heavy weapons trooper, had served for five years.

Looking at the sniper rifle in Talon's hands, the others looked on with envy. "Talon, let me play with your gun."

"No."

"I'm the deputy captain. Can I play with your gun?"

"Not even if you were my father."

"Little Talon, actually, there's something I've never told you. Back then..."

"Yalta!"

"Stop messing around, be quiet." Cyrus felt the shift in his teammates' mentalities more and more. In the past, when they executed missions, they were meticulous. They were merely currency for the Emperor, reciting oaths in solemnity and gravity, completing their missions in loyalty and honor, venting the Empire's fury with rage and reason, and returning their souls to the Golden Throne amidst a hail of bullets and gunfire. But now, they had taken on a bit of humanity.

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

Forget it.

Perhaps he was worrying too much, or perhaps, as Brown said.

He always thought too much.

They were not as fragile as he imagined.

He cared too much about the future and worried too much about the past, which was why he was always anxious about gains and losses.

"."

Cyrus's tone softened. "Try to rest and conserve your strength. Once we reach those two planets, you might not have time to rest."

Cyrus turned and left; as long as he was here, the team members felt an intangible pressure.

"Yes, Captain."

"Yes, Captain."

The seven-day journey passed in a flash.

The six-planet star system slowly revealed the tip of the iceberg it had hidden in the void.

The earthy-yellow planet was their target, with gaseous clouds floating above it; in the cosmos, it looked like a dirt-colored gemstone.

"This world is actually quite beautiful."

"A pity it's occupied by xenos."

"That's why the Governor sent us. To ensure they don't lose it, we need to take this planet and then help them hold it."

On the far side of this earthy-yellow planet, a fleet of xenos warships appeared.

"Dock on the far side of the planet. The research vessel should not enter the combat zone for now. Deploy the probe ship to carry us down to Tangle Planet," Cyrus commanded.

"Understood. Ghost One probe ship is ready. My lords, you may board."

"Talon, Yalta, Maglin, Blue, execute the mission."

"Yes, Captain."

With the order to execute the mission given, everyone returned to their usual rational state, stripping away any extraneous emotions.

The group stepped into the probe ship. "Magnetic boots, activate."

They were firmly secured to the probe ship.

Inside their helmets, "Space quantum computer, initializing. Connecting to the space network. Squad integrated into the combat system."

"Real-time environmental detection system, active. Battlefield environmental detection system, active. Database loading. Equipment self-check one, complete. Self-check two, complete. Manual check (safe). Weapon check: kinetic gun energy at seventy-nine percent. Please maintain."

"Airdrop preparation."

The sound of synthesized electronics echoed continuously through the cabin.

The research vessel's deployment was far more stable than the various battle barges they had traveled on before.

In space, after Ghost One detached from the research vessel, it accelerated in an instant.

A pale blue ghost ring appeared on the tail fins of Ghost One, drawing a silver thread across the curtain of eternal night.

The ghost ship avoided the enemy's combat vessels and descended toward Tangle.

Meanwhile, the research vessel secretly began constructing defensive cannons on the planet they were docked at, not expecting to crush the enemy fleet, but merely to force them to retreat.

Tangle Planet.

It was a planet composed of ore and desert.

The desert was Tangle Planet's protective camouflage. In the center of the capital city of Ilde on Tangle Planet.

The resistance, under the control of the Tau Empire, along with the land and air forces composed of Stinger Bees, were storming the capital of Tangle Planet.

On the city walls.

A figure in green power armor appeared. In his hand, he gripped a hammer nearly as tall as he was, and on his armor, one could faintly see the markings of the former Salamanders Chapter. The hammer in his hand continuously crushed one xeno after another, but when facing humans, he would hold back.

"Soldiers, fall back."

"Please, fall back immediately."

Only when he could not drive these crazed soldiers back would Vulkan draw his bolter to eliminate those who had fallen into madness.

The Salamanders Chapter was considered an outlier among all Chapters.

They loved to forge weapons, so some said their black skin was baked on from long hours in scorching furnaces.

But compared to other Chapters' disregard for humans, they appeared more benevolent. They chose tactics that minimized human casualties and felt sorrow for having to kill xeno children. They were compassionate, merciful, tolerant, and caring.

Thus, their Chapter always suffered more sacrifices than others.

Hum!

Hum! Hum! Hum!

Among those Wasp-men, the faster Stinger Bees held the aerial advantage, constantly compressing the battlefield. Moreover, the terrifying weapons provided to the Wasp-men by the Tau Empire—neutron weapons—posed a greater threat than standard bolters.

The neutron weapon was a weapon from the Wasp-men's home planet.

Only the Wasp-men could use it.

It was charged by the vibration of the Wasp-men's wings, which resonated with radioactive crystals mined from their home planet. Even the thickest armor struggled to resist the disintegrating properties released by this weapon. Of course, its firing frequency and threat level were not comparable to the Necron Gauss Ray.

But when the target was a mortal, or even an unprepared Astartes, a single hit could result in death.

On the battlefield, there was no room for mercy.

Vulkan's mercy gave the Wasp-men an opening.

A neutron weapon struck Vulkan's arm, causing him to lose his grip on his weapon.

"Company Commander!!!"

"Damn bastards."